Calvillo joins Trestman as Argos’ QB coach
TORONTO — Anthony Calvillo was prepared to take the year off from coaching until Marc Trestman came calling.
The Toronto Argonauts unveiled pro football’s all-time passing leader as their quarterback coach Monday, reuniting Calvillo with head coach Trestman. Calvillo led the Alouettes to two Grey Cups in five seasons playing for Trestman in Montreal (2008-2012).
“We had a lot of plans, a lot of charity events, golf tournaments, travelling with the family,” Calvillo said. “Once I got the call (from Trestman) it sparked my interest, because I wanted to get into this profession and learn as much as I can.
“This was an opportunity to learn from somebody who I have respect for. I thought I couldn’t waste this opportunity.”
But first, Calvillo had to make a difficult call of his own.
“The hardest thing was calling (Montreal) owner (Bob Wetenhall) and informing him of my decision,” Calvillo said. “That was the one thing I was kind of hesitant and nervous about, because we have so much respect for each other and a great friendship.”
Calvillo, 45, a married father of two young girls, takes his first football job outside of Montreal in 20 years. After earlier stints with the Las Vegas Posse and Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Calvillo spent 16 seasons with the Alouettes, winning three Grey Cups and the CFL’s top player honour three times.
Calvillo began his coaching career in 2015 with Montreal. But he worked three different jobs (receivers coach, offensive coordinator and quarterback coach) over three seasons under four Alouettes head coaches — Tom Higgins, Jim Popp, Jacques Chapdelaine and Kavis Reed. But Montreal went 16-38 and never made the playoffs.
“As many years as you play, or at least that I played for, it doesn’t prepare you for the coaching aspect of things,” Calvillo said. “As much as there was a lot of changes, let’s not forget I was part of those staffs that required changes . ... I was part of that process of trying to get things right and we weren’t able to do that and it’s a difficult pill to swallow.
Calvillo joins a Toronto squad that won the Grey Cup last season, its first under Trestman. After playing just 12 games over two injury-plagued campaigns, Toronto quarterback Ricky Ray made 17 starts in 2017 and registered his first 5,000-yard passing season since ’08, in leading the Argos (9-9) atop the East after a last-place finish the year before.
Ray captured the East Division’s outstanding player nod last year, while Trestman received the league’s coach-of-the-year honour for a second time. After taking time this off-season to ponder his future, Ray, 38, decided in February to return for a
16th CFL campaign.
Just in case, though, Toronto acquired James Franklin from Edmonton in December and signed the athletic 26-year-old to a two-year extension. Ray enters the season as the league’s No. 4 passer (60,429 yards) behind Calvillo, Damon Allen (72,381) and Henry Burris (63,227).